|Reuters

PARIS (Reuters) - Banned UEFA president Michel Platini will be allowed to attend matches at the European soccer Championship providing he does not do it in any official role, the European governing body's acting general secretary said on Wednesday.

"We received a letter today (from FIFA) telling us Michel could attend matches as a person, providing he does not do so in any official function", Theodore Theodoridis told a pre-tournament news conference.

The executive committee of UEFA will now rule on a demand by the European body to invite Platini for the entire tournament, he added.

"As for Friday, I don't expect he will be there", Theodoridis said, referring to the opening Euro 2016 game between France and Romania at Stade de France.

A UEFA official said Platini was not planning to attend any matches at this point.

The European body had asked FIFA what the exact terms were for Platini's current suspension from football-related activities.

UEFA will hold an election in September to choose a replacement for Platini, meaning the European body will not have a president during the showpiece June 10-July 10 tournament in France.

Platini, a former France international regarded as one of the finest players of his generation, was one of the sport's most powerful figures until he was engulfed by the soccer scandal which has plagued the sport's world governing body FIFA.

The 60-year-old was banned along with former FIFA president Sepp Blatter over a payment of two million Swiss francs ($2.08 million) made to the Frenchman by FIFA with Blatter's approval in 2011 for work done a decade earlier.